Embodiments relate generally to automatic inspection and monitoring and more particularly, to automatic inspection and monitoring to distinguish between contamination and degradation of an article.
Currently, interferometers and optical microscopes are widely used for inspecting articles, such as the end-face of a fiber optic connector. The interferometer is an excellent inspection tool for the inspection of a fiber optic connector end-face in the “as built” or “when new” stage of the connector. The interferometer is capable of very precise physical measurement in a non-contact manner using lasers or LED's, coupled with very expensive optics and positioning hardware. An objective lens for interferometric use can cost in the thousands of dollars. Several recently introduced interferometer products also include 2D optical inspection capabilities. Although technology has helped considerably in the size and weight categories, it appears to have had only slight impact, if any, on the price of these units which frequently exceed $15,000.
Fiber optic connector inspection and cleaning are critical for optical signal transmission. In-service conditions of access, cleanliness and physical stability during measurement pose unique issues for bench top fiber optic test equipment. Interferometers are not suitable for in-field measurement or monitoring applications due to the need for vibration stability and cleanliness. An optical microscope based system provides an alternative inspection solution that is more robust and suited to in-service conditions at a cost that is lower than that of an interferometer. Currently, there are video inspection products coupled with a laptop or standalone computer for providing automatic detection of anomalies on the fiber optic connector end-face. However, these video inspection units are not capable of being hand-held and thus cannot be readily used in field applications with ease.